Council ban for Orange funeral parade

Reporter

Monday 12 September 2011

A COUNCIL has banned an Orange funeral parade through a busy town centre amid concerns for public safety.

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DEBORAH ANDERSON

North Lanarkshire Council turned down an application from Motherwell Orange and Purple District 25 to hold the funeral march today.

Following a hearing on Friday, the lodge was told the application had been refused as it is understood it would have brought Motherwell to a standstill.

Permission was being sought to walk from Dalziel St Andrew’s in the centre of the town around 2pm after the funeral service.It would then have made it’s way to Airbles Cemetery on the outskirts of the town on what is a main arterial route in and out of Motherwell.Around 600 Orangemen would have taken part in the procession but it was considered it would have caused too much disruption.A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said: “Strathclyde Police made representations to the Corporate Services (Public Processions) sub-committee that they could not police this funeral in such a way as to secure the safety of the participants, members of the public and their officers on road traffic safety grounds.“Taking into consideration the views of the police and the applicant, the committee decided that it would be inappropriate, purely on these grounds, to allow the procession to proceed.”It’s understood further discussions took place over the weekend in connection with a revised route, but the decision remained unchanged.Robert McLean, executive officer of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, said he was “astonished” by the decision.Mr McLean said: “We will be taking this further and seeking legal advice regarding the council’s decision. “This is the first time I have ever heard of this that a funeral procession has not been allowed to go ahead.“The funeral will still go ahead just not with a procession. Obviously our thoughts are with the family and it seems their wishes are not being carried out.”Strathclyde Police were unable to comment on the matter yesterday.

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Council ban for Orange funeral parade

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